Allegiant Air to end nonstop service between Arizona and Minnesota

ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) -- Allegiant Air says it is pulling out of the Rochester International Airport and will end its weekly nonstop flights to Arizona on May 14.

Allegiant began offering two weekly nonstop flights to Mesa, Ariz., in November 2012. The airline hoped to serve as a connection between Rochester and Mayo Clinic's Phoenix campus.

The Post-Bulletin (http://bit.ly/1hu0J7w ) reports this marks the Las Vegas-based airline's second attempt to serve the Rochester market. From 2008 to 2010, Allegiant offered bargain nonstop flights to Las Vegas. Those flights ended because of lack of demand.

When Allegiant returned to Rochester with an Arizona focus, there was no concern about demand with the built-in Mayo traffic plus vacation trips.

Rochester's airport has worked at attracting and keeping airlines, but it's hindered by lower cost flights from Minneapolis.